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Do you overwinter your 12 frame (square) Jumbos with or without a super?[/QUOTE]
The last few years they have mostly died during the winter. Because of our winter eucalyptus flow, I purge honey from brood chambers fall and winter. Before mites, I used to leave a super during winter.

Re: Special delivery arrived

[QUOTE=odfrank;914974]

Originally Posted by rail

The last few years they have mostly died during the winter. Because of our winter eucalyptus flow, I purge honey from brood chambers fall and winter. Before mites, I used to leave a super during winter.

Re: Special delivery arrived

Originally Posted by bluegrass

I think Charles Dadant was just ahead of the curve. With the additional depth and wider width I expect the Dadant hives to winter better than the Langs. The extra width adds more insulation to the cluster and the depth gives them more time before they have to move up.

I haven't ever really understood the less weight argument... I get excited when I try and lift a heavy box. Being a beekeeper who is opposed to heavy boxes is like being a chef who doesn't like the heat of a kitchen... it just doesn't work that way.

Re: Special delivery arrived

[QUOTE=rail;915232]

Originally Posted by odfrank

I would assume the 10 frame Jumbos perform better than the 12 frame?

With the die off problem since 2006 and no accurate testing I can only go by personal observations. I have run the 12 frames since 1979 and I remember in the eighties pulling my crops with my friends and all of us exalting about the huge crops on the jumbo hives. We do not really have a winter so their size for wintering is not an issue with me. I think they produce more massive populations on the large frames and swarm less in the larger hives. When they do swarm, watch out! Because of the wider footprint they do not stack up as high, so it is hard to get a perspective on which hive has more honey on it. I think the ten frame with Jumbo frames is a good size because it does not require oddball equipment other than the brood chamber. The deep brood chambers fit all the other Langstroth ten frame appliances. I built a 12 hive, 12 frame division back then with supers to match but have not expanded it because it is such a specialized/oddball footprint.
I lost nine out of eleven of the 12 framers this winter due to the die off.

Re: Special delivery arrived

Originally Posted by bluegrass

I only started one with a package last season. It is alive and well to this point. I have 20 more hives I am getting ready to go for this season.

Have you done a cost analysis on 2 or 3 jumbos compared to 1 9-5/8", and multiple supers? To me it makes sense not having as much equipment to haul around. I run all deeps, and personally don't like having to use multiple boxes.